Seán Moran talks to Kieran Donaghy who has brought a new lease of life to Kerry's attack

There's no doubting this championship's media magnet.

For a championship rookie Kieran Donaghy already has a back story worth a couple of seasons. A converted basketballer who first came to public attention during the first year of TG4's football "reality television" series Underdogs, he was brought into Jack O'Connor's team at the start of this year as part of the search for a settled partner for Darragh Ó Sé at centrefield.

A promising NFL gave way to a crisis Munster championship during which Donaghy was sent off in the final against Cork and had to miss the replay seven days later.

But the big story was yet to come: his move to full forward was part of a reshuffle that re-energised the team and propelled it back on track for the All-Ireland. The most memorable match along the way was the quarter-final defeat of Armagh, one of the Ulster counties that had blighted Kerry's existence in recent seasons. Donaghy's big display against Longford in the qualifiers had been shelved as inadmissible evidence but the second-half dismantling of the iconic Francie Bellew was indisputable.

Donaghy's account of the tactical switch is characteristically understated. "We did it at basically just two training sessions and they said they'd go with it and that if it didn't work out, 'we can always throw you out at midfield again where you've been playing well all year.' I've played big championship games for Stacks there. What happens with Stacks is that if we're three or four points down, they end up throwing me in at full forward trying to get a goal or a few points.

"There's still a lot of things I have to learn about full forward, runs for example and trying to stay out of Colm Cooper's way because he makes great runs and I find myself running into his path almost. I'll stay around the box and hopefully the ball in will be good enough."

By any standards the impact he has made has been phenomenal. Strong in the air and at 6ft 5in nearly unbeatable under the dropping ball, his handling skills and ability to lay off the ball have made him a springboard for other forwards and he is also willing to take on his markers and can score.

He attributes two main assets to the basketball experience: "quick hands and vision."

His most famous score was the goal scored after sacking Bellew for a high ball and taking it around the defender for a well-finished goal. In the aftermath he took the time to mouth a few thoughts at Armagh goalkeeper Paul Hearty whose disparaging first-half commentaries he had had to endure - something he has been encouraged to regret.

"It was petty," he says, "and I'll know from experience in future that if a fella's taunting me and I score a goal to just run away and enjoy it."

Enjoyment has been a feature of his season. It was noticeable after the Cork semi-final that O'Connor praised the impact that Donaghy has had on the mood of the panel, his youthful exuberance lightening the atmosphere. "That's what the boys say anyway," according to the player himself when asked about this aspect of his contribution to the team. "They've been there so long but I'm new to all this and I come in with a smile on my face every training session and I give them a buzz, you know patting Séamo on the back, and I suppose the boys enjoy it but I'm sure when I'm 33 or 34 there won't be too many smiles coming out of me either."

Even on the field his laid-back demeanour is evident. The first half of the Armagh match saw Bellew in control. Donaghy waited and when the service improved after half-time he took full advantage.

Does he feel pressure? "Not yet anyway, thank God, but I haven't faced the pressure of an All-Ireland final before and you can't judge that until you experience it. Pressure doesn't really affect me and players with the experience of Séamus Moynihan and Darragh Ó Sé are a great help."

During the 2004 All-Ireland final he had a very different perspective to that, he'll enjoy the day after tomorrow. "I was on the Canal End in the premium level," he says, "watching Colm Cooper scoring probably the greatest goal in Croke Park in the past 10 years. I'll never forget it. I was on the panel for the Dublin game so I was disappointed that I wasn't able to tog out."

Quick two years.

Kieran Donaghy

Club - Austin Stacks.

Position: Full forward.

Honours to date: NFL 2006, Munster SFC 2006.